What I Think Should Have Happened: OFTM Ranger's Rescue
by melanie.campbell.3348
Summary: This is my third one-shot from One For The Money. It takes place after Steph "borrowed" Joe's Jeep. Please leave a review, and let me know what you think. Enjoy!


**What I Think Should Have Happened: "Ranger to the Rescue"**

**This is my third One-Shot based on the book, ****One For The Money,**** by Janet Evanovich. This story takes place when Morelli comes to Steph's place a "little" upset after she commandeered his jeep. All characters belong to Evanovich. Hope you enjoy the story, and please leave a review!**

_**A special thanks to rainbow servus for all her help as my Beta. Thank you so much!**_

I was drenched, stiff, and exhausted. I had crouched behind the bushes in the pouring rain for what seemed like hours. Why? I had a plan. A pretty good plan, so I had thought. I had borrowed Morelli's Jeep, well commandeered it really. I mean, it was not like he was using it, and I really needed it. It was just sitting there, and I don't think that is good for a car. Right? I was really doing him a favor. That's me, always helpful.

The plan, was to nab Joe when he showed up to steal it back. I would jump out, cuff him and call the cops. I would be getting a paycheck before bedtime. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. After waiting forever squished behind a holly bush, ouch, Joe's cousin showed up instead. He sped away after he couldn't get the Jeep started. Well, crap! I hadn't thought about Joe sending his cousin, Mooch. That's it! I'm done for the night. I hid the distributor cap I took from the Jeep, under the bush for safe keeping, and then trudged towards my apartment. I should stop at Dillon's first, and let him know that the hallways would need mopping, or at least one of those wet floor signs. Nah, too tired. Someone will figure it out.

I stood dripping and muddy in the entrance of my apartment. I didn't want to make a path in here too, so I stripped down right there. Leaving my clothes in a heap on the floor, I headed straight to the shower. I turned the water up as hot as I could stand to try to get my teeth to stop chattering. "Ah...", I moaned. The heat was finally warming me, and relaxing my muscles.

"Sounds good.", Joe said as he whipped the shower curtain open and off the hooks.

"AAAAAA! What the...!", I screamed. "What the hell, Joe? You gave me chest pains!"

"Good. You deserve them. I have stomach pains from dealing with you!"

We just stared at each other for a minute. Me, trying to catch my breath, and him, being a perv.

"Well this," he said gesturing to me while eyeing me up and down, " makes up for it a little."

"You are a pig Morelli! You broke my shower curtain! You are going to buy me a new one!", I yelled as I reached for the towel. He snatched it off the hook before I could grab it.

"I don't think so, Cupcake.", and he threw it in the hallway. "You stole my Jeep, and I want it back!"

"I did not! I needed it, umm... in the pursuit of a criminal." Yeah, that sounded good.

"Oh that's insane! What are you playing at? This isn't a game. This is serious business. I don't have time to put up with this. With you!", He yelled at me with his arms flying in the air. " Are you still trying to punish me or something? I would think running me over would have been enough!"

"That was an accident!", I screamed back. "I am being serious, too. This is my job!"

"Your job?! Ha! That's a joke! Vinnie must be out of his mind to have hired you. If you are that hard up why don't you just move back home with your parents, until you find a husband and become his problem? Now, as much as I like you wet and naked, where the hell is the distributor cap?"

I'm going to throttle him. "Listen, you ass! I don't need to move home , or a husband to take care of me! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself! You Burg pig-headed ass! And another thing, you are under arrest!"

"Oh that's rich!" he laughed, then grabbed my arm, and roughly pulled me tight against him. "Am I?", and then I heard the clink. That SOB hand cuffed me to the shower rod! I was speechless! "Now," he began, leaning back against the door frame crossing his arms. "As gratifying as it was to do that, where is the cap? Or would you like to have some fun first?", he said wagging his eyebrows.

That did it! "You are a pig! Don't even think of touching me! Uncuff me this minute! Or I'll, I'll... I'll tell your mother about this!"

"Ha! I am sure it's not the worst thing she has heard about me. Now, where is it Steph? It looks like you are getting cold."

Man, I wanted to slap that smirk off his face. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Uncuff me! Oh, you are so under arrest, now!"

"I have a better idea. You hang there naked and wet, and I will tear this place apart and find it.", and then he disappeared.

I could hear him banging around the apartment, and throwing out the occasional curse words. He finally came back to the bathroom awhile later. "Ready to tell me where it is? I bet you would like a towel. How is your arm feeling hanging there? That doesn't look too comfortable."

"I don't know where anything is. Now, get me out of these! I hate you!"

"Well, I see you are not ready to cooperate yet. I guess you need a longer time out.", and he walked away. I heard the front door open.

No! He wouldn't! "Wait! Don't you dare leave! You can't leave me like this!"

"Do you remember where the cap is all of a sudden?", he replied almost strutting back into the bathroom. I gave him my best Burg glare. "No, that's too bad." He looked around, and picked up my cell phone I had on the bathroom counter. I like listening to Pandora while I shower. "Here. Call for a rescue.", he sneered. I snatched it with my free hand. Then he walked out yelling over his shoulder, "Don't worry! I found your keys. I will lock up!"

That ass! That...that...ass! "Joesph Anthony Morelli! You get your ass back in here this instance!" Silence was my only answer. Maybe, he is just waiting me out a little. He will stroll back in here in ten minutes, expecting me to beg him, and gladly give him that damn cap! Well, that is never going to happen. I won't ever beg! Especially to that ass! Besides, I bet I can get out of this on my own. I see people in movies get out of cuffs all the time. Really, how hard can it be.

A half hour later, my hand was asleep, and my wrist was raw from my struggling. "OK, Steph, time for a new plan." I was thinking I might need a rescue. Damn. Well, crap! Anyone I call will never let me live this down. Now, I just have to narrow it down to what level of embarrassment I can live with. OK, the cops are out. I can see it now, Eddie would call in for back up so that half of the force could come over for a good laugh. Nope. Not happening. OK, my parents are out. My mom would send my dad. Nope.** I** could not live with that. OK, I could call Grandma. Nope. She would ask Mom for a ride. OK, Vinnie? Gross! I think I just threw up a little. No! Nope! No way! OK, Mary Lou? Maybe. Then again, she would have to tell Lenny why she had to rush over here in the middle of the night, and before I knew it, the whole Burg would know. Nope. "Think Steph, think!" There has to be someone I can call that I could live with seeing me naked. Hmm... What about Ranger? He has cuffs, could break in my apartment without breaking down the door, and being naked with Ranger... "OK. Ranger it is."

"Yo."

"What? Who answers the phone like that? Ranger?"

"Babe?"

"Yeah.", I sighed in relief. "I mean, It's Steph."

"I know."

"Umm... I hate to bother you so late, but I need you."

Silence.

"Could you come over? Oh, and do you have any hand cuffs?" I don't know if all hand cuff keys are the same, but I don't trust Joe to have left the key. What am I thinking? Ranger didn't need a key. He could just use his magic on them.

"Use my magic? Be there in 10."  
>Silence. Wait? Did he hang up? Well, that's rude.<p>

Magic? Did I say that out loud?! Oh, crap.

Ten minutes later, I heard the front door open. How does he do that?

"I worked my magic.", Ranger said leaning against the bathroom door. He looked me up and down. "Start without me?"

Gulp!

"Um... no. I didn't do this to myself. Morelli did it."

"Kinky. So, where is he?", he said while picking up the towel and walking towards me.

"He got away."

He stopped, and bent over laughing.

"He got away. You know Babe, the cuffs are supposed to go on the FTA."

"I told him he was under arrest, but he would not cooperate. He was pissed because I borrowed his Jeep. Um... In the name of the law, of course."

"Of course." Ranger stood close, and wrapped the towel around me, tucking the end between my breast. I think I stopped breathing. He didn't move away afterward.

When I finally was unable to speak, "Um... Well, I knew he would try to steal it back. So, I took the distributor cap, and hid in the bushes. I was going to grab him before he even knew what was happening. Instead, he sent his idiot cousin. I guess Joe was upset when Mooch didn't show up with the Jeep, because he barged in here, and here I am."

Without saying a word, Ranger worked his magic on the cuffs, and I was free.

"Ahhhhh...",I said rubbing my wrist. He took my wrist in his hands, and began to gently rub it for me. "Hmmm... Thank you."

"Anytime, Babe.", and with that, he released my hand and left.

Wait. Did he just walk out?

I stood there a minute longer, stunned. I began thinking over the events of the evening. Did I accomplish anything? Was the whole plan a disaster? Well, I did get a rescue from Ranger. So...

_I hope you enjoyed my story. Please leave a review, and let me know what you think. I am always open to ideas and help. :)_

_Melanie_


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